Photo: Robbery suspect at till at Husky Gas Station on 27th Street Thursday around 12:30 pm.
UPDATE 6:30 pm
RCMP say a suspect believed to be involved in a recent string of robberies in Vernon has been arrested.
On Friday just after 3 pm, RCMP responded to a panic hold up alarm at Charlie’s Grocery Store on 32nd Ave near Alexis Park Drive.
When police arrived they found the suspect being held in a vehicle by the store owner and he was taken into custody without incident.
It is alleged the male suspect attempted to rob the convenience store but was unsuccessful.
A 32 year old man is in custody and the investigation is ongoing.
UPDATE: 5 pm
There are unconfirmed reports of another robbery Friday afternoon, this one at Charlie’s Grocery on 32nd Avenue.
Witnesses tell Beach Radio News there were multiple police vehicles at the store.
RCMP have yet to confirm the latest incident.
A rash of robberies continues in Vernon — with four this week alone.
The latest occurred Thursday night when a man entered Booster Juice in the Fruit Union Plaza on Highway 6 around 8:30 pm.
He produced a knife and demanded money from the employee, grabbing the open til and the employee’s wallet as he fled out the back door.
The Husky gas station on 27th Street was robbed in the noon hour Thursday.
A man entered and asked to buy a lottery ticket, then produced a metal object and raised it as if he was going to strike the clerk, and demanded money.
The suspect fled with cash in a vehicle.
“General duty officers responded to the scene of the robbery, where they were supported by the RCMP Air Services Unit,”says Cst. Kelly Brett. “Officers were unable to locate their suspect, however located the suspect vehicle a short distance away which was turned over to the Forensic Identification Section for analysis.”
There was also robberies at the Safeway gas bar and Days Inn Motel earlier this week, and Cst. Brett says they may be linked.
“We haven’t ruled that out just yet. Obviously there are similarities but there are differences as well, so all of that is still under investigation and we’re still trying to determine if they are linked or not,” Brett tells Beach Radio News.
Mounties advise residents and employees to be vigilant and to take note of their surroundings.
“It can be concerning that a recent rash of robberies are taking place in the Vernon area, and we are encouraging residents and employees to be vigilant and take note of their surroundings,” says Brett. “If there is a person or vehicle in the area that looks suspicious, take note by writing it down and calling police to make a report.”
If you were in the area of any of the incidents and saw anything suspicious, or have any information regarding the robberies, please contact the Vernon North Okanagan RCMP at 250-545-7171, or remain anonymous by calling Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477, or leaving a tip online at www.nokscrimestoppers.com
